Euphemisms

If they ever cut your throat,
write a note

It's friendship, friendship,
Just a perfect blendship,
When other friendships have ceased to jell
Ours will still be swell!

--Friendship, Cole Porter
__________

So Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki tells a carping U.S., Iraq "can find friends elsewhere" (Whose Iraq is It, Anyway?) With friends like these, Mr. al-Maliki, you don't need enemies.

We are not friends. We invaded the ostensible country you now ostensibly lead, and broke and twisted it beyond recognition. How can you call this friendship?

From his side, he is double- and triple-dealing us with Syria and Iran, which is a far piece from friendship, as Ranger understands the term. Playing both ends against the middle, he is.

Our national interests are not the same. His: To consolidate Shiite power in Iraq. The U.S.'s:
undecipherable to this Ranger.

Just because he wears a suit and tie doesn't mean he is the same as us, even if he does walk hand-in-hand with GWB through the Rose Garden. (Though as far as the skill of double-dealing goes, those two fit like hand in glove.)

Nouri al-Maliki is not our friend. He may be a whore sleeping with us, but that doesn't mean he loves us. The key question regarding his fidelity is: Will he let us kiss him?